This invention relates generally to a pressure pad which is used with an artery clamp in a surgical procedure. In particular, the invention relates to a pressure pad with a notched portion extending inwards from its periphery which facilitates the withdrawal of a catheter from an artery following a surgical procedure.
The pressure pad of the instant invention may be used with an artery clamp such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,249 issued to Semler. The artery clamp and pad are used to apply pressure to a puncture point on a major artery following any surgical procedure where it has been necessary to catheterize the artery. Following withdrawal of an arterial catheter, or needle, pressure should be applied to the puncture site for approximately 6-12 minutes. While the pad described by Semler in the cited patent provides pressure at the desired point once the catheter has been withdrawn, it has been found that the catheter must be completely withdrawn prior to the application of pressure to the point of catheter entry. This results in a brief, but vigorous, free flow of blood through the puncture site, which may obscure the exact location of the puncture, and make placement of the clamp and its associated pressure pad difficult.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a pressure pad which may be accurately positioned adjacent a puncture site prior to removal of a catheter.
Another object of the invention is to provide a pressure pad which is usable with existing artery clamps.
The pad of the instant invention includes a notched portion which facilitates placement of the pad over a puncture site prior to removal of a catheter. The pad may be used with existing artery clamps.